Just like her father had said, Brian was in the cafeteria. He sat alone in the corner of the room with his head down. From the trembling of his body, she knew he was still crying and must still be angry with her.

But they were siblings, so at some point forgiveness was in order, right? She knew she need to get herself together before she went to talk to him. Brian only listened when someone was authoritative and had a stern voice. If her voice broke after every sentence, she would get nowhere with him.

It took her all of three minutes to calm herself and to sit down across from him at the table.

Brian recognised his sister's shoes. He was angry with her. This wasn't like the time where they all hid his train and wouldn't tell him where it was until a week later. This wasn't like all the times where they called him the baby and he was angry because he knew he wasn't a baby anymore. This wasn't like the time where they wouldn't tell him where his mother was. It was different, and he intended to be angry like a big boy he knew he was.

"I'm sorry," Kim said. She knew apologies were in order, just didn't know if it made any difference. "I should've told you."

"Is he still alive?" After this, he wouldn't say anything else to her, he promised to himself.

"He's not dead. And he won't be for awhile, bud."

"Stop calling me that!" He yelled, banging his tiny fist on the table. Even that made her jump. "I hate it when you call me that! I'm not your bud. I won't be. I hate you."

Six years old and he knew the emotion hate. "Brian," she tried again. "I'm scared too."

"I'm not scared because he's not going anywhere. He promised me he's never leaving me. Maybe he hates you too, that's why he told you that. He doesn't want you as his daughter anymore."

She grabbed his tiny hands in his and squeezed them, not letting him go no matter how much he squirmed. "Stop it. I am your big sister, and you are not to speak to me like that. Dad loves both of us."

"Just go back with your stupid boyfriend. Just go back and leave us alone. We don't want you here. I'm going back to Dad's room, and I don't want you to follow me. Tita will drive me home. Go away!"

Kim was a lot of things. She was never one to give up. She was never one to yell in a public place and made a scene. She never got mad. And here she was, nothing like she is.

The next couple of days, Brian stayed with Kim's mother. Kim stopped by more often than usual. Everyday after work, she would visit her mother for an hour and than go to the hospital to visit her dad. It took a lot out of her, especially when the shop was busy with orders. But it was what needed to be done. There wasn't any time for any thing. She didn't even speak to the ladies about what happened between her and Gerald, but was sure they all knew.

The friends kept their distance, despite how hard it was. Kim was someone different from the rest of them. She was the go-to person when bad things happened. When a tragedy struck, it was Kim who would get the call first. It was always her who said the right things and would comfort them. She'd stay while they cried and wouldn't leave until asked, and never made a fuss. But when it came to comforting Kim, it wasn't the same.

Erich and the rest of them would leave and be there for her in a heart beat, but Kim would never ask. And because she didn't ask, they didn't pry.

Just like she did for the past week, she stopped by her mother's house first. "Hey Mom." Kim greeted, exhausted.

"Hi, sweetheart. There's dinner in the kitchen in the oven for you. And I put some in a container for your father." Lillian said trying to smile.

When she walked into the kitchen, it was a surprise scene. At the kitchen table was Brian and Gerald playing a card game. She stopped at the doorway, jaw dropped. What on earth was he doing there? Was she supposed to walk in and act like she didn't see them? Was she supposed say something? It was especially hard since Brian didn't start speaking to her yet.

"Hey," Gerald was the one who spoke first. He was wearing beige dress pants and a white button down which was opened at the collar. He just came from work, she concluded.

"Hi." Simple. But vague. She walked past him and opened the oven. There was a plate of meatloaf and rice and with some potatio wedges and green beans. It was also in a container. She took both out and set it out on the container.

Kim took out another container, deciding she was going to eat with her dad instead of eating here.

"It's still warm. We just finished eating," Brian added.

Might as well ask while she was ahead. "Did you want to come with me to see Dad? I'm going to eat dinner there with him."

She could see he smiled, but it disappeared just as fast as she noticed it so she wasn't sure. "I'm going to get my coat. Are you coming too, Kuya Ge?"

Her eyes darted to him for his reaction. He looked puzzled, confused and scared all at the same time.

"Maybe it should just be you and your sister, Bri. I know your dad's excited to see you."

"I want you to come." said Brian. "I want you to be there."

Kim turned so her back was towards them. She missed Gerald, she knew. Missed the way his arms felt around her, missed the way he held her back when all she wanted to do was to fall. She missed knowing he was always there. But somewhere deep down that trust she built for him was slowly crumbling back down. And if they didn't have trust, what could they have?

Brian ran out and upstairs leaving Gerald alone with Kim. She finished packing both their dinners and realized she still had her coat on. "I'll wait in the car." But when she turned to begin walking to the door, Gerald was in front of her.

His body was close enough that she could feel his hear emanating from his body. She closed her eyes, hoping that once she opened them he'd be gone, but no luck. "Kim..." His voice was deep and soft and gentle, flowing from his lips like an early tide to the shore.

She pushed past him, "Just tell Brian I'll be in the car."

Gerald sat in the passenger seat because Brian was still too young. Kim's grip around the steering wheel tightened whenever she saw him move from the corner of her eye. She put on music to fill the silence.

They arrived at the hospital, and was told he was taken out of the ICU and put into his own room on the sixth floor. As they walked, Kim walked alone knowing Brian stayed close to Gerald's side. The brotherhood, she rolled her eyes, always stuck together.

There was light in the room, which meant he was awake, but for the past week, she knew that he was sleeping more and more and soon that would be all he'd be doing.

The moment Brian walked into the room, he pushed past Kim and jumped onto the bed. "Dad! I told you I'd see you today. I called Gerald and asked him to bring me here, but Ate came over."

Kim walked to the table at the foot of the bed and took out the dinner her mom prepared. She poured her dad a cup of water and pushed it towards her dad. Kim took a seat on the only chair and kissed her dad on the cheek.

"You know, bud. I'm sick of water, can you go get me some lemonade downstairs?" William asked Brian. "Gerald, can you go with him?"

He nodded by the door and held out his hand for Brian.

"Still not talking to him?" William asked, drinking from his cup.

"I thought you were sick of water," she said, grabbing a napkin and putting on his lap.

"Of course I needed out of the room to get the real scoop. So I repeat: you guys still not talking?"

Kim shrugged. "I don't want to talk about my love life. I want to talk to you about your condition. That is why I'm here."

"There's no change."

"You do look happy."

"That's because I get to see my kids. But I'd be happier if I could see them happy again."

She laughed. "My dad's dying, my little brother's not talking to me and I lost my boyfriend all in about a week's time. I don't see me being happy for awhile."

He started eating, but in small bites. Each day, he was losing his appetite. "Baby, some things you can change, and some things you can't. There are two things on that list that I know you can take control. You're just choosing not to."

"Well it's not like he's trying to win me back."

"From what I see, he is. Baby, he's hanging out with a six year old. Being a yong and attractive man as he is, he could've had plans to go out just so he could he over you and the relationship you have. But instead, he came running when your brother called. He's here right now staying, and it's not because he wants to play crazy eight with Bri." He placed his frail hand on top of hers. "Baby, I know you're upset that I asked him to keep this secret and he actually kept his word. But if he didn't care about you as much as I knew he does, he wouldn't have cared about me and he wouldn't have kept it a secret. So from what I can see, he's working harder than you are to keep this relationship alive."

On cue, the two boys returned with two lemonade and two iced teas. "Drinks at your service," Brian said jumping back on the bed. "So when can we go home?"

"How about after you forgive your sister?" He coughed.

Without raising her head, she looked up and could even see her brother contemplating it. How foolish she felt hoping he'd take their father into consideration.

"Okay. I'm not mad anymore." He shrugged, picking a piece of meatloat with his fingers.

"Ew!" Kim squealed, smiling.

Brian laughed and tried to pick more. "I stopped being angry a long time ago. I was just scared to talk to her again. I thought she was going to yell at me for being mad at her."

Kim took one last bite and pushed her container to her brother. "Finish it or else Mom is going to get mad." Brian started eagerly. "I'm going to go downstairs and check for dessert."

"Chocolate chip cookies!" Brian called out. "Get enough for everyone! It's Kuya Ge's favourite, just like mine."

When Kim looked back, Gerald was standing behind Brian ruffling his hair. Her father was right, he was trying, right in front of her and she just ignored him, plainly.

Brian went to use the bathroom which left some alone time with Gerald. "So how are you really?"

"If I tell you to keep it a secret, will you?" William chuckled. "I'm kidding. That's the last ime I'll ask anyone to keep a secret for me. As for my condition, they keep me doped up on pain medication to keep me from acting unmanyly." He coughed when he tried to laugh again. "I just try hard not to act all drugged up. Especially with Brian. He doesn't understand anything that's going on. And I'm counting on his sisters to keep him distracted. He doesn't need to watch me grow pale and weak and eventually..."

"Hiding your condition isn't going to make this easy on anybody. And I think Kim is taking it the worst."

"Stings doesn't it?" William asked.

"What stings?"

A cough slash laugh escaped once again. "Kim's the strongest of my five kids. She puts on that front. But when she's angry, she'll shut you out and throw you out to a different universe. It makes it enough to want to kill yourself. Trust me, I've been thrown to Pluto a couple dozen times when she was a teenager. Worst, but best time of my life."

"I know she asked me to stay away, and I know as her father you want me to, but I love her." He laughed. It was the first time he said it out loud to an actual existing person. "It's crazy. I mean everyone knows I incapable of love. I date girls, lots of them, but love? Never. And now here I am playing cards with her six year old brother and there's nothing I'd rather be doing."

Kim heard Gerald speaking, causing her to stop a minute at the doorway.

"I'm head over heels crazy for your daughter, and being pushed away like that made me want to kill myself." He ran his fingers through his hair. "When I see her crying, or know she is - I know she cries every night in her bed - all I want to do is to wrap around her heart and take the beating for her."

Kim rested her head against the wall, and clutched her heart.

"And when she said she was in love with me...I just knew I couldn't stay away from her. I'm sorry, Sir."

"For what?"

"For hurting your daughter." He said quietly. "After falling in love with her."

"Ew!" Brian screeched walking back into the room. Kim laughed. "Ate! And my cookie are?" He had his hands on his hips. Something she taught him to look tough and biggert then he usually was.

Everyone turned to look at her. "They didn't have cookies, but they had the next best thing - chocolate cake."

Gerald stood from where she was sitting and let her sit down. Kim smiled sincerely and sat.

They ended up staying at the hospital past visiting hours and was asked to leave, even had to be escorted out. Kim ended up carrying him out after falling alseep.

"How about I drive?"

Kim shook her head, and opened the back setting her brother back and putting the seat belt on. "It's fine." She sighed and arched her back.

"You must've had a long day, I was just offering."

"Thanks," she held out the keys and walked over to the passenger seat.

Again, driving in silence. When they got to Kim's mother's place, it was Gerald who carried Brian inside.

"Would you like some coffee?" Kim asked.

He smiled, "I'd love some."

Kim brought out the tray out to the living room where he was sitting. Hopefully he didn't expect anything, considering her mother was right upstairs. "Thanks for tonight. For Brian and coming."

"You know I'd do anything for you and your family."

"About that..." she took a sip of her coffee. "I wanted to apologize."

"No, I need to apologize. I never should've kept it from you to start with."

She wan't going to disagree there. "But you did, and here we are. Look, all I wanted to say was that even though I don't agree with you keeping it from me, I understand why you did it. And it means a lot to me that you're here right now."

"How are you doing? Honestly?" He asked.

Kim chuckled. "Every morning I wake up and wonder, is this really my life? It's not exactly ideal. And I'm not going to lie, the nights are the hardest. There's just so much I got used to that I don't have anymore." She knew exactly what she was saying.

"You didn't lose everything."

"I'm losing a lot."

It was quiet for a moment. H e didn't want to ruin the moment they were having. He was just glad that they were speaking again. "I should go."

Kim nodded and followed him to the front door. "Listen, thanks again for everything. It means a lot that Brian has you."

She opened the door for him. "Just know that I'm here for you, too." He spun around quickly, resisting the temptation to kiss her. But one thing he knew for sure, he wasn't going anywhere and he'd be seeing her soon.